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Aug 4, 2013

Curriculum 2013 - 2014

Way back in May or April, I posted a list of what we will be doing in the fall. But I'm not even going to link back to that, because, silly me, I made the mistake of posting it before we had even finished the school year and before I dug into my summer reading. I've been working my blissful way through A Charlotte Mason Companion, and Miss Mason's own writings and the pull to the CM method has grown ever stronger. That, mixed with some other stuff I've been reading, and some conversations I've had with the principal, has prompted me to make some changes in what we will be doing this year.

First, I've dropped all grammar for everyone. We might be spending some time watching a School House Rock video or two, and it's possible that I might initiate a conversation about proper speech. We will definitely be correcting errors in our writing and I believe there is a game or two that we will enjoy occasionally. (including, but not limited to: Making Silly Sentences) But no formal grammar this year.
Secondly, I decided to alternate our Latin and Spanish by terms. Instead of usually not doing both of them, we will focus on just one at a time and hopefully get something accomplished. We are going to start with Spanish, but a lot of those plans are up in the air, depending on whether we get chosen for a review that I'm hoping for.
Third, we will put a lot of focus on spending our afternoons outside and on Nature Study.
Finally, we will be including artist study and composer study this year, but I'll give more details of that in another post.
So here is our new line up:*

Kaytie, 6th grade:
Math U See Delta
math fact practice at xtramath.org (it's free!)
copying Bible verses of her choosing (in cursive) and possibly starting dictation sometime in the year
SWI level A
a fun reading list
finishing up All About Spelling Level 3 and starting Level 4
Read alouds and narration and some notebooking for American History
REAL Science Odyssey Chemistry Level One
a fun and super simple geography course designed by me
Spanish at Spanish Town, Duolingo, an online service we get free through our library (not Mango, though I wish it were!) and youtube videos of kid songs and fairy tales
Bible Study Guide for All Ages
reading and narrating Who Am I? from Apologia
Adventus
Fallacy Detective and Logic to the Rescue (she will just read and discuss with me)
Nature study: investigating plants, bird watching, star gazing, keeping a journal and a nature calendar, and lots of time spent outdoors
learning the next stitch in crochet and... ?
learning more about keeping house
embarking on her own "personal interest pursuit" (our version of passion pursuit) of horses starting with a lapbook and ending...?
soccer
and, in co-op: cake decorating, drawing, and drama

Nate: 5th grade:
Math U See Delta
math fact practice at xtramath.org (it's free!)
Happy Scribe
SWI level A
a fun reading list
finishing up All About Spelling Level 3 and starting Level 4
Read alouds and narration and some notebooking for American History
REAL Science Odyssey Chemistry Level One
a fun and super simple geography course designed by me
Spanish at Spanish Town, Duolingo, an online service we get free through our library (not Mango, though I wish it were!) and youtube videos of kid songs and fairy tales
Bible Study Guide for All Ages
reading and narrating Who Am I? from Apologia
Adventus
Nature study: investigating plants, bird watching, star gazing, keeping a journal and a nature calendar, and lots of time spent outdoors
soccer
his co-op classes are: karate, Texas history, and creative construction (which we don't know much about but we do know involves the making of lava lamps and other wonders)

Abbie: 2nd/1st grade:
Math U See Alpha and Beta
math fact practice at xtramath.org (it's free!)
copywork: sentences created by me
and all the rest the same as Daniel
In co-op she will take: basic sewing, drawing, and gymnastics

Another change I'm making is more emphasis on Mother Culture. I've always wanted to learn sign language and I've tried for years to teach the kids. They all know a few signs, but it has never really taken hold. So I decided that I'm just going to learn it on my own and if they want to join in they can. I'm also going to learn how to knit. AND I am taking a class at co-op for moms. I have no idea what it is about, but I'm excited anyway.

I know it sounds like a lot, still, but not all of it will be done every day, a good deal of it will be done as a group (a post on this will be forthcoming) and the rest will all be done in short lessons. I budget 15 minutes per subject and some don't even take that long! Daniel and Abbie will spend about 2 hours doing school, Kaytie and Nate will spend 4 or less. I'll post our schedule later.

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